Support Black Art and Resistance by Attending Black History Month Events

Trump’s recent Black History Month speech is a perfect example of the horrors of historical revisionism and institutionalized forgetting that plagues the public school system and our collective public consciousness. I remember being taught a watered-down version of Black resistance in my public school education, as liberal as it was in Southern California. It wasn’t until college that I realized how it was steeped in white savior narratives.

As neighbors and allies, our silence and our ignorance imply compliance, and Black History Month should be reclaimed from the token nod it has become. There are plenty of ways to support and celebrate with the Bay’s Black community, this month and every month. From comedy shows and wine festivals to lectures and museums, here are some of the best Bay Area Black History Month events you can attend:

Huey Newton addresses a crowd outside the Alameda County Courthouse after he was released on bail. Newton was charged in the shooting death of Oakland police officer John Frey on Aug. 5, 1970 (Lonnie Wilson/Bay Area News Group Archives).

The SF Noir Food and Wine Festival at the Museum of African Diaspora celebrates the best Bay Area chefs serving Black and Southern-inspired cuisine. Attend wine tasting workshops, cooking lessons from top chefs, and sample delicious food.

And finally, something you can do every month of the year: support Black owned businesses in your neighborhood. If you want to shop local and put your money where your mouth is, this is a great way to do both.

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